Software applications often require updating to ensure their proper functioning. Such updates can be periodic, or in response to a particular event, such as a security threat. Conventionally, some software update releases (e.g., patches, security updates, drivers, feature packs, update rollups, and service packs, among others) are globally distributed, affecting many users of a particular software. Also conventionally, these software updates are automatically loaded and installed upon computing devices, often without user intervention.
In contrast, other types of software updates are released to much smaller audiences. For example, some of these software updates are private in nature and are only applicable to a small class of clients and computing devices. Such limited distribution release software updates are often produced and distributed at the request of a sole client, rather than driven by general preferences and requests of many clients. One type of limited distribution release software change is conventionally referred to as a hotfix, although any type of specific, non-globally distributed, software update is contemplated as within the scope of the present application.
Hotfixes are designed and implemented for a specific client based upon a request for such a software solution. In this manner, they are specific, discrete entities that may only have applicability to the requesting client. Over time, however, such hotfixes can become more generally available, such as after they have been made available to one or more clients for a time, they can be distributed to a larger audience of other similarly situated clients. Conventionally, a client calls its technical account manager and requests a specific fix for a particular problem. This technical account manager will then seek a solution to the problem from a product development group. The product development group will then provide a private, pretested solution to the client's problem. The product development group then gives the private solution to the technical account manager who typically posts the solution to an ftp (file transfer protocol) site, or other file transfer means. The technical account manager then informs, either personally or via electronic messaging, the client that the solution is ready. The client then accesses the ftp site, downloads and extracts (e.g., unzips) the hotfix file, typically enters a required password, decrypts the file, and applies the hotfix solution. Clients seeking more widely available, yet not globally available (e.g., GDRs (Globally Distributed Releases)), hotfixes available to more than one client, also follow this process. Obviously, this process is laborious and only provides such a solution to the client who requested the solution.
In addition, a client often requires both limited distribution release software updates and global software update releases. Conventionally, obtaining these two types of software releases occurs in two entirely different ways and must be pursued separately. As noted previously, obtaining global software update releases is relatively straightforward and often occurs automatically. Conversely, obtaining limited distribution release software updates can be laborious. No single source for all types of software updates (e.g., both GDRs and hotfixes) is available. Moreover, conventionally clients cannot directly search or access a store of such private and public limited distribution release software updates. In particular, a client seeks such limited distribution release software updates from a technical account manager. Moreover, one or more of such limited distribution release software updates may relate to knowledge base entries. But no mechanism exists for linking such updates to knowledge base entries, whereby the distribution of such updates could be facilitated.
Unfortunately, conventional systems for distributing limited distribution release software changes are cumbersome and do not allow for direct client access to the private and public software changes available to them via other conventional mechanisms, such as global software updates and knowledge bases.